Fighting Chance
by Punk Pikachu
Summary: The gang is in high school now and things are a lot different than they used to be, including a forboding secret someone's keeping that could be costly. Can Arnold figure out when happened to Sid before the unthinkable happens?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: It's been a VERY long time since I've written fan fiction, but I went through a few of my old ones and realized how horrid they were so I decided to come to a completely new start. I started watching Hey Arnold in the mornings again and realized I had a few good ideas of my own for the show. (None that could be used because of maturity levels, but isn't that what this place is for?) But anyway, I decided to get back into the writing game. First story in a long time, so bear with me. This takes place in his junior year.

_I swore last night that I dreamt of the past, back when everything wasn't simple, but everything seemed like it could all be solved within a couple days. I could hear the guys laughing with me, watching Simmons writing random stuff on the blackboard; feel the paper balls that Helga would hit me with…_

_Helga…god, how long has it been since I've thought of her…?_

The morning came unwelcome to Arnold after another night of tossing and turning in his sleep, hearing the alarm go off calling his name. Pulling the pillow over his still oddly shaped head, he tried to ignore the irritating little device, but failed and sat up, hitting the top of it to silence the voice. His own head felt like someone had knocked him with a hammer and the morning light seemed annoying bright, but now that he was awake, might as well get up.

"Arnold!" A very familiar voice, nasally and old, called to him from behind the door. "Time to get up! Grandma's got sushi for breakfast!"

He groaned inwardly at the thought of fish in the morning. "I'm up! Be down in a minute!" He yelled back, his voice taken a dip in pitch the previous year. Stretching his now lean chest, he stood and stumbled a bit down to his dresser. He had long traded his elementary apparel for a black long sleeve and jeans, his hair falling back to his shoulders now and a bit of fuzz along his jaw line. Looking in the mirror, he smiled a little.

"Heh, looks aren't everything." He told himself, still humble and laid-back as ever about life.

"Arnold! Door for you!" Grandpa Phil yelled from below.

He gave his hair one final flip in the mirror, before sliding down the stairs and meeting Gerald at the door. The boy had also traded his looks for something a bit more contemporary, dreadlocks that pointed in all directions, eyes constantly behind sunglasses. He had two cups of coffee in his hand and nodded to Arnold.

"Come on man. We're gonna be late and then Jensen will have our asses again." The two shared a knowing smile before Arnold took a cup and headed out. "See ya, Grandpa!"

"Later, Short man." He called back, gaining a roll of the eyes from his grandson.

The street was still quiet as the two boys walked, the shops just opening and people heading to work. Arnold sipped his coffee thoughtfully as Gerald looked over his glasses at his face.

"You still aren't sleeping, are you?" He asked. "Your eyes look like they wanna fall off your face."

"Dude, shut up. It's not my fault. I keep having dreams."

Gerald smiled vivaciously. "Oooh, you up thinking about somebody! Come on, who is it? Who you getting' a hard-on for?"

Arnold blushed intensely. "Man, no one! Not dreams like that, you pervert."

"Lame. Man, you haven't gone after anyone since Lila moved away."

He groaned and sipped his coffee. "Don't remind me of her. I don't wanna think of her ever again."

"Why not? You were crushing on her till right before we hit high school."

"Dude!" He snapped! "Just drop it, all right!?" Gerald pulled back a bit at the look in Arnold's eyes.

"Ok, ok, just messing around."

Arnold drank down the last of his coffee in silence, his eyes glued to the pavement in front of him. Gerald didn't know, nobody did. Nobody knew why Lila had left except for Arnold and it still brought anger and bitterness into his usually kind heart. But he made a promise and would keep his word….

The boys reached the school and tossed their coffee cups as they entered. The halls were busy and bustling as usual. It was strange to see how people had grown up since elementary. So many changes in the friends he knew, or once knew. A few didn't talk much to him anymore. Particularly, Stinky and Rhonda, considering every time anyone ever saw them, their mouths were always glued to one another. They had started liking each other in the 7th grade, but Rhonda was too proud to say anything. Finally, Stinky gave her a flower that he had grown in his backyard and oddly enough, it had happened to have been her favorite flower. The two had been together since. Somebody said they had seen the two having sex in the janitor's closet a few months back, but Arnold didn't want to think of that.

Another pair who had coupled off was his own friend Gerald and Phoebe. He knew the two had liked one another for a long time, but it took until last year for them to finally admit it. They were a sweet couple, but Gerald always seemed to become a bit clumsier around her. He constantly tripped over his own feet or knocked into something.

A couple of his friends had become very distant and not because of relationships. According to rumor, something had happened over the summer of his freshman year and Sid had become a recluse. It had something to do with his dad, but no one quite knew any details. He would always see Sid off in the corner, his eyes closed, hood over his head, emerged in his own little world in his CD player.

Sid wasn't the only one to take a turn for the worse. Sheena had had some hard times over the last couple of years and it showed. Her clothes got darker and so did her hair and every once and a while, he would see her out of the corner of his eye staring down at her wrists. Sheena's mom had been in and out of the hospital with cancer since 6th grade, so he had a little bit of sympathy for her, especially after his Grandma has been hospitalized once, although she broke a couple bones from jumping off the roof to slay a dragon, so it was a little different.

"Um hello? Arnold, are you there?" Gerald waved his hand in front of his face and it snapped him back to reality.

"What, what?"

"Man, you're falling asleep on your feet. Come on, class is starting." He walked off in front of him, Phoebe clinging to his arm affectionately. Arnold stood in a daze for a moment before heading off down the hall. Right before he walked in, he noticed Sid once more in the corner but a feeling of dread came over him as he stared at the boy, hunched over. Fresh scars littered his arms and a couple across his cheeks, stained with tears. He kneeled down and reached out a hand to him.

"Hey man, are you-?"

Sid knocked his hand away and just turned his head.

"Go to class, Arnold." He said coldly, his eyes dark and empty.

Arnold reluctantly pulled back and went back to class, giving one last look at the boy, the feeling of dread in him growing.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: I've missed being able to write like this and it's such a welcome feeling. I'm just hoping I don't get addicted again.

The day had passed almost halfway through and Arnold had not seen high or low of Sid since this morning. The feeling of dread that had found him this morning had not left him. In fact, he felt more worried than ever. He couldn't eat and left Gerald in the cafeteria, heading out into the courtyard for a breath of fresh air. His head felt more clouded than when he woke up this morning. Walking across the courtyard, he felt a little welcome into the queer quiet, only a few souls around as he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. The day was only half done. Damn it all.

"Here." He heard a voice next to him say. Opening his eyes, he saw a boy with very thick glasses and long dark hair offering him a cigarette.

"You look like you need it." He said to him, one already in his mouth. Normally Arnold would have rejected it, but after today, he simply sighed and took it, giving meager thanks as he took a long breath of the cancer stick. He had a little nagging feeling that he knew this person.

"Do I know you?" He asked, coughing a bit.

The boy looked over at him with contempt. "What, do I have to bite the head off a chicken or ride a giraffe to be recognized?"

He realized then in a heartbeat. "Curly? I thought you left."

Curly took a long drag of his stick. "Nope. Got on some meds and calmed down and within a couple months, everybody thinks I leave cause I'm not going insane." He blew out a puff of smoke and spit bitterly. "It's calmed me down, but made me kinda a bastard."

Arnold smirked and continued to breathe in the smoke.

Curly turned to him. "So what's wrong? You never stress and it's really easy to see when you are."

"I'm just…worried." He bit his tongue to keep from saying anymore. There was a moment of silence before Curly spoke.

"You can see it too?" Curly lowered his glasses, giving Arnold a shocking glimpse of light blue eyes that were rarely seen.

"What are you talking about?" The dread in his stomach did a back flip.

"Don't pretend Arnold. You know as well as I do that you can sense when something's going down. I can too and there's something in the air right now and it's not good." His eyes grew wider as they held Arnold's and the blond haired boy reeled back a bit.

"Curly…I think it has something to do with Sid. I saw him this morning and..."

Curly blew out another puff of smoke. "That kid's not going to make it."

Arnold turned his head suspiciously. "What are you talking about?"

Throwing down his cigarette, Curly stomped it out. "It's the calm before the storm, Arnold. I give it about two, three weeks at most. If you wanna find out what happened to him, you best do it sooner than later, because you may not have the chance to later." With that, he left Arnold standing in the courtyard, feeling worse than before. His head ached and ideas ran through his head of what he could have meant, but none seemed right. He had to find out what had happened to Sid before the dread in his stomach manifested itself into reality.


End file.
